High-definition displays are increasingly used in a variety of applications, including televisions, personal computers, smartphones, tablets, camera viewfinders, and even virtual reality headsets. High-definition displays commonly include numerous pixels having different color pixel elements (e.g., red, green, and blue sub-pixels) that are independently driven to produce detailed color images that are visible to users. Such displays are typically calibrated so that users properly perceive the intended image colors in the displayed images. To accomplish this, a calibration system may obtain image information from a display in order to identify and apply light-output adjustments to the pixel elements of the display. This image information (sometimes referred to as a display's “profile”) is typically generated by measuring the light output of the display's pixel elements during a process commonly referred to as display “characterization.”
The ever-increasing pixel density of high-definition displays, however, has made it increasingly difficult for conventional systems to efficiently and accurately characterize (and thus calibrate) high-definition displays. Although imperfect display characterization and calibration may be acceptable for some display environments (such as high-definition televisions intended to be viewed from a distance of multiple feet), these results may be problematic for other display environments, such as virtual reality headsets. For example, because virtual reality headsets often utilize multiple separate displays positioned close to a user's eyes within a darkened environment, any inconsistencies in the characterization and thus calibration of these separate displays may result in the user noticeably perceiving variations between each display's luminance or color spectrum, potentially souring the user's virtual reality experience. Accordingly, the instant disclosure identifies and addresses a need for improved apparatuses, systems, and methods for accurately characterizing and calibrating high-definition displays.